1st Potassium-based batteries
International Conference (KIC-25)

We cordially invite you to the free registration of the 1st edition of the Potassium-based batteries International Conference (KIC-25), held in Madrid (Spain) from 25 to 26 September 2025, within the 2nd edition of “Sustainable Energy Storage Days In Madrid—SESDIM” (22-26 September), hosted by CSIC, Universidad Complutense of Madrid and Helmholtz Institute Ulm.

KIC-25 is the first conference fully dedicated to potassium-based technologies. It aims to strengthen global collaboration in this emerging technology and fully discuss the fundamental understanding of materials (cathode, anode and electrolyte). It focuses on the challenges and how to overcome them to accelerate potassium-based technology to the next level by fruitful discussion among academia and industry.

The KIC-25 will cover the latest research findings and developments in potassium-based batteries, which are the next technology to be beyond lithium- and sodium- batteries. The conference will be composed of plenary (invited) talks and posters on materials research, electrochemistry, advanced characterization methods and full-cell development by international experts. The KIC-25 will cover the following topics:

Research materials: cathodes, anode, liquid/solid electrolytes
Interfaces(-phases) understanding
Advance characterization methods
Full cells prototype (academia and industry)

The conference will be held on CSIC premises, in the heart of Madrid's financial area, next to the Museum of Natural Sciences. It is well connected by public transport to its well-known art galleries, such as the Prado Museum, Thyssen or Reina Sofia, or to its historic neighbourhoods, where visitors can enjoy typical Spanish gastronomy.

aqui deberiamos enlazar a un mapa de la localizacion.

Best regards,

On behalf of the organizing committee

Dr. Javier Carretero-Gonzaléz (ICTP-CSIC - Spain)

Dr. Maider Zarrabeitia (Helmholtz Institute Ulm - Germany)

Dr. Elizabeth Castillo-Martínez (Universidad Complutense Madrid - Spain)

Important dates:
Abstracts submission deadline: 31.05.25

Confirmation of acceptance: 30.06.25

Registration deadline for presenters: 31.07.25

Registration deadline for attendees: 31.08.25

Plenary

Prof. Michel Armand
(CIC energiGUNE, Spain)

Michel Armand, born in France (1946), graduated from Ecole Normale Supérieure (rank 1st); Master in inorganic and organic chemistry (Paris 1968); Ph.D. in Physics (1978); Fullbright Fellow at Stanford University in 1970-1. Directeur de Recherche at Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) since 1989. Invited professor at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (1982-83). Professor at University of Montreal (Canada) (1995-2004). Director of the Joint CNRS-UdM International Laboratory on Electroactive Materials (2000-2004). Resumed as Directeur de Recherche at CNRS in Amiens (France).

Michel Armand has covered during his career several theoretical concepts and practical application in the field of energy-related electrochemistry: electrode materials, inorganic or organic and he ushered the concept of intercalation compounds (1972) and of the sulfur/sulfide redox couple; introduction of the polymer electrolytes for battery application (1978), followed by the introduction of new families highly conductive salts (perfluoroimides like TFSI and FSI) for liquid and polymer electrolytes. Present activities include the study and optimisation of production of carbon-coated Lithium-Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4); new solvating polymers, and techniques to obtain cross-linked networks; Hückel stabilised negative charges. More recently, the use of such anions has resulted in significant advances in the field of ionic liquids. Recent developments include the transition metal fluorosulfates LiFeSO4F as improvements over phosphate positive electrodes.

Michel Armand has authored or co-authored 230 publications; 225 presentations at conferences, of which 185 were invited, 157 patents delivered or pending. He has been or is the Ph.D. advisor for 23 students.

He is acting or has acted as Editorial Board for several journals (Solid-State Ionics, Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, Synthetic Metals, J. Power Sources, JNMES) and Conferences advisory committee and organisation for 35 international conferences.

Scientific Distinctions and Awards: Bronze then silver Medals from C.N.R.S. (1978, 1989); Royal Society, Faraday Division, Medal Award (1985); Preis fur Umweltteknologie Saarland Länder (1988); Battery Division Award, The Electrochemical Society USA (1988); Pergamon Medal, International Society for Electrochemistry (1995); Volta Award ECS European Section (2000), first recipient; Doctor Honoris Causa from Uppsala University (2006). Galileo Award for polymer electrolytes research (2010).

Invited speakers

Prof. Laure Monconduit

(University of Montpellier, ICGM, France)

Prof. Laure Monconduit was promoted to CNRS Research Director in 2011. Her current research directions include the synthesis and characterization of new electrode materials for Li-ion and for post-Li systems (Na-, K-, Ca-ion batteries), the improvement of their performance by playing on nano-structuration, electrode formulation, and the confinement in the carbon matrix. She was very active in thematic group M-ion of the European network ALISTORE-ERI and the French network RSE2. She has also had numerous collaborations with industrial partners (Saft, Umicore, Total S.A., Hutchinson, Nanomakers, Renault, Pellenc, SNAM, ROSI).

Prof. Mauro Pasta

(University of Oxford, UK)

Prof. Mauro Pasta is a Professor of Applied Electrochemistry in the Department of Materials at the University of Oxford. He currently serves as the Principal Investigator of the SOLBAT (solid-state batteries) project as part of The Faraday Institution. His research interests encompass electrochemistry and materials chemistry, with a primary focus on developing innovative materials for electrochemical energy storage. As a co-founder of three battery startup companies, Natron Energy, Cuberg and Project K, Prof. Pasta is dedicated to translating his research into real-world solutions.

Associate Professor Jelena Popović-Neuber

(University of Stavanger, Norway)

Prof. Jelena Popović-Neuber is an associate Professor of Battery Technology at University of Stavanger. Her scientific interests lie in the cross-section of experimental and theoretical materials science and electrochemistry, focusing on physicochemical investigation and development of materials for electrochemical energy storage. Before joining University of Stavanger, Jelena was a staff scientist at Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research and earned her PhD at University of Potsdam/Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces.

Assistant Prof. Guiomar Hernández

(Uppsala University, Sweden)

Guiomar Hernández is an Assistant Professor at the Ångström Advanced Battery Centre at Uppsala University (Sweden) since 2022. She obtained her PhD at the University of the Basque Country (Spain) in 2017 on redox-active polymers for energy storage applications. Currently, she is leading a team working on polymeric materials and electrolytes (solid and liquid) for safe and sustainable next-generation batteries.

Dr. Fabian Jeschull (Group Leader)

(Karlsruhe Insitute of Technology, IAM-ESS, Germany)

Fabian Jeschull is leading the ‘Electrolytes and electrochemical Methods’ group at the Institute for Applied Materials – Energy Storage Systems (IAM-ESS) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). His research focuses on liquid and solid electrolytes for post-Li batteries, with a special focus on degradation processes at electrode interfaces in potassium batteries. He worked previously as a postdoc at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Switzerland in the Novák group and received his PhD in chemistry from Uppsala University, Sweden, under the supervision of Prof. Daniel Brandell.

Conference location

Address

C. de Serrano, 115 b,

Chamartín, 28006 Madrid

Contact

kbatterieskic25@gmail.com

SPIRIT

1st Potassium-based batteries
International Conference (KIC-25)

Registration & Abstract submission

FREE REGISTRATION!

Plenary

Prof. Michel Armand
(CIC energiGUNE, Spain)

Invited speakers

Conference location

Address

Contact

1st Potassium-based batteries International Conference (KIC-25)

​

Registration & Abstract submission

FREE REGISTRATION!

Plenary

Prof. Michel Armand (CIC energiGUNE, Spain)

Invited speakers

Conference location

Address

Contact

1st Potassium-based batteries
International Conference (KIC-25)

Prof. Michel Armand
(CIC energiGUNE, Spain)